What If? Steven Universe
by TheInkredibleKaptainKaiju
Summary: The Steven Universe, well, universe, is a vast one. A series of one-shots that seeks to ask one question: what if? Loosely based on the Marvel series of the same name.
1. What If Jasper Knew?

What If Jasper Knew?

* * *

She couldn't believe it. She was frozen on the spot, staring in disbelief at what she had just witnessed. Pink Diamond, her beloved leader, and the closest thing she had to a mother, her creator, had shape-shifted into Rose Quartz, the leader of the rebellion, and her mortal enemy. Surely it couldn't be real. Surely Pink Diamond was just fooling around. But why, then, did it look just like her? Why was she accompanied by the Pearl that was always by Rose's side? Jasper wasn't sure whether to be furious, confused, or devastated. She decided on all three.

"What is this?" she said softly. Pink Diamond almost didn't hear her. She turned around, and her face turned pale. She gasped. Jasper had seen. Jasper, her most devout follower, now knew her secret.

"Jasper," she said. She was fully prepared to fight, should Jasper decide to attack her, or worse, run off to reveal her secret. But the Quartz stood in place, refusing to meet her gaze.

"This can't be real." said Jasper in disbelief. "It's not true, there has to be something else going on here." Jasper's fists reflexively clenched. "Tell me what's going on, My Diamond!" Not a question, but a command.

"Oh, Jasper," said Rose Quartz. "I was dreading this." Of all the Homeworld Gems to discover her identity, why did it have to be her? "Don't worry, this isn't what it looks like…"

"I think it's exactly what it looks like," Jasper said. Tears stung her eyes, but did not fall. "You are Rose Quartz. A traitor to Homeworld!"

"Jasper, please, listen," Rose said, walking towards her.

"No!" snarled Jasper. "Don't come near me! Speak to me as Pink Diamond. Speak to me in your true form." Her teeth were bared. "Or is this who you were all along?"

Rose Quartz paused. Closing her eyes, her body was enveloped in a bright white light. She doubled in size, retaking her original form as Pink Diamond.

"How long?" asked Jasper. "How long have you been leading that army of misfits and off-colors against us? Against your fellow Diamonds? Against _me_!?" She was breathing heavily know, her long white hair out of place.

"Jasper, please," Pink Diamond pleaded. "I know I'm a traitor, but I did this to protect the Earth."

The Earth? WHO GIVES A DAMN ABOUT THE EARTH!?" Jasper yelled.

"I do!" Pink responded. "There's so much beauty here that's worth protecting. I tried to make Homeworld see that, but-"

Jasper, despite her anguish, couldn't help but laugh. Her entire body shook with raucous laughter. "Beauty? What does this planet have that the thousands of others we've colonized lack? You want to protect this one over all the others because it looks pretty?"

Pink Diamond sighed. "Jasper, I first became Rose Quartz not to destroy, but to protect. Not just the innocent life of this planet, but Gems that have been unjustly persecuted by Homeworld. Gems that are different, that can't choose what they are. And Gems who want to choose _who_ they are. I started the Crystal Gems in the name of freedom. Freedom from Homeworld's iron grip."

"Freedom?" Jasper said quietly. "And in doing so, you abandoned all the Gems who were still loyal to you!" Jasper looked down, the tears freely flowing now. "All the Gems who loved you. You left us behind for a bunch of organics and abominations!"

Pink Diamond looked angry for a moment, before she calmed herself. "Jasper, I want you to imagine something for a moment. Imagine you emerged from the bedrock as you did, a powerful warrior, ready and willing to serve Homeworld, and your Diamond. Imagine you were just as strong as the other Quartzes, and just as loyal. But imagine that, despite your loyalty, despite your strength, you were cast aside by the very ones you swore your allegiance to. That is the life of an off-color. I'm doing this so there can be freedom for all the Gems that Homeworld casts aside. So they can get the love that they rightly deserve."

"And the rest of us?" Jasper said. "The Gems that emerged perfectly? Where is your love for them?"

"That love is real as well," said Pink, kneeling down in front of Jasper. "Every time I told you that you were the ultimate Quartz, that you were meant for greatness, I meant it." She wiped away the Quartz's tears with her thumb. Jasper considered throwing her hand off of her, but decided not to. "I'm not only Rose Quartz. I don't just love the Gems that are broken: I have a deep love for all Gems, be they perfect or imperfect. And you, Jasper, are perfect." Pink Diamond lovingly placed her arms around the Quartz, drawing her into her embrace. In that moment, just for a brief second, Jasper forgot all about her Diamond being a traitor. In that moment, Pink Diamond was the same Diamond she had known and loved her whole life. No deceit, no war, just loyalty. She returned her embrace.

"You can stay with me," Pink said. "You can join the Crystal Gems. You don't have to fight me."

"I can't," Jasper said, tears running down her cheeks. "My loyalty lies with Homeworld. And you are an enemy of Homeworld." Despite this, she desperately wanted to stay with her Diamond. She wanted this war to be over, to leave this miserable planet behind, never to return. And she wanted her Diamond to go with her. But she knew she never would.

"I understand," said Pink Diamond. She ran her hand through Jasper's hair. "I know it's a hard thing to accept. If you must stay with Homeworld, I just ask that you keep my secret. Not just for my sake, but for the sake of all the Gems that call this planet their home. For the sake of the beings that live here. For the sake of my other followers."

"You are no longer My Diamond," Jasper said, growling. "I see no reason to take orders from you." She turned to leave. Pink Diamond was crestfallen. Something within her prevented her from stopping her. However, against all odds, Jasper turned around. "But I will keep your secret. Not for your sake, but for the Gems who still call you their Diamond. For the other Diamonds who love you."

"The other Diamonds don't love me," Pink said mournfully. "I know that now. I used to think that they did, but now I know I was just another tool to them, just like every other Gem."

"That isn't true," Jasper said, returning. "They love you. And I love you as well." Once again she embraced her Diamond. "I will keep your secret."

And keep it she did. She kept her secret when Pink faked her own shattering. She was devastated, just not for the same reason as the other Gems who did not know. She kept it when the Diamonds corrupted almost every Gem still on Earth. She kept it as Rose Quartz thought to herself, "Jasper was right. They really did love me…"

She even kept it when she returned to Earth, after it was found that Rose Quartz and her followers were still alive. She kept it even to the small organic who claimed he was not Rose Quartz. She did not keep it, however, when her crusade for revenge led her to become corrupted.

"I kept your secret, Rose!" she shouted, her body becoming twisted and her mind slipping away. "I kept it from everyone for all those thousands of years! And this is how you repay me!?"

"What secret?" the boy said. "What secret, I don't understand?"

It was then that she realized that the Diamond she loved truly was gone. "Who you really are!" she cried in disbelief. "You are Pink Diamond!"

And then everything went black.

When she reformed, she found herself in a pool of water. She was surrounded by hundreds of Gems that had been corrupted after the war. The Diamonds were there as well. She later found that the boy, the son of her Diamond, had reunited the Authority and undid the damage their attack had done.

Despite this, she still hurt.

Jasper later found herself standing atop a hill above the Crystal Gem's temple, overlooking the ocean. What would she do now? Would she still be accepted by Homeworld after what she had done? Now that she looked like this?

The voice of the boy came from behind her. "Jasper! Hey, Jasper!" He ran up beside her. "I've been looking for you!" He looked over the ocean as well. "Oh, are you enjoying the view? It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"No," Jasper said bluntly. "I hate this planet. I always have. I hate the things that live on it, and I hate what happened on it. Everything would have been easier if the Cluster had destroyed it." The boy seemed disappointed.

"But it was her planet," Jasper said. "She loved it. And while I hate this planet and the things on it, and while I hate the things she did, she was My Diamond, and I loved her."

"So...does that mean you're gonna stay?" the boy asked.

"Yes," said Jasper. "I will stay and protect this planet. Not for its sake, but for hers."


	2. What If Bismuth Went Too Far?

What If Bismuth Went Too Far?

* * *

She hadn't wanted it to be this way. Despite all the good that had come from this, she didn't want this to be how everything turned out. But it was the only way.

She didn't want to fight Rose Quartz. But she had refused to use the Breaking Point, so she had to.

She didn't want to hurt her son. But he shut her plan down again, so she had to.

She didn't want to turn on the other Crystal Gems. They were her friends. But they had attacked her, so she had to.

When she had sailed to Homeworld, and built up another army, and finally brought an end to the Diamonds' reign, she didn't want to take their place. But Gemkind was without a leader, so she had to.

Now, as she sat silently on her throne in her new Forge on Homeworld, the sounds of hammers and hissing steam behind her, she wondered how things could have gone differently. If she had laid down her arms peacefully, Homeworld would never have been freed from tyranny. Regrettable as it was, her path was the only one that could have ended the suffering of countless Gems. It was the only way.

Her wondering was brought to an end when the giant double doors to her throne room creaked open, letting in a beam of light. Two figures entered the room, backlit by this light. One of them seemed to be leading the other like a prisoner. This second Gem's hands were tied behind her back.

"My Bismuth," the figure said. Bismuth immediately recognized her from her voice as Kyanite. She was one of Bismuth's most loyal followers, one of the first to join her cause. "We captured this one trying to free captive Agates down in cell block C. She claimed to know you personally, so I figured she'd want to have a little chat with you!"

"Thank you, Kyanite," said Bismuth. "You may go now."

"My Bismuth?" asked Kyanite. "You don't mean you actually know this-"

"Leave us." Kyanite obliged, leaving Bismuth and the prisoner alone in the throne room. As the doors shut, only torchlight lit the room, revealing what Bismuth had been certain of. Restrained there on the floor, was her old friend Pearl.

Bismuth stood up. "It's been a while," she said. "I hardly recognize you."

Pearl's outfit had changed since the two last met. Her top was split down the middle between pink and teal, and she no longer wore a skirt. "I could say the same about you," she said, staring at the floor.

"Pearl, please, don't be like that," Bismuth said. "I know you're upset about what happened all those years ago-and you have every right to be-but that's in the past. We can start over, a new beginning. You were my friend, Pearl. I don't want it to be like this."

"You _were_ my friend," responded Pearl. "You gave all of that up the moment you walked out of the Forge, and Steven didn't."

"Right, Rose's kid," said Bismuth. She walked over to a window behind her throne. Down in the Forge below, countless machines were constructing enough Breaking Points to supply an army. "I didn't want it to turn out this way," she said. "I liked him too. But just like his mother, he was too sympathetic. I didn't want to kill him, but it was the only way."

Pearl let out a viciously sardonic laugh. "Oh, didn't you? Of all the people who had to die, why was Steven one of them?"

"Pearl, please," said Bismuth. "Look around you. I've done what Steven _and_ Rose could never hope to do: I've brought an end to the Diamonds' reign. I've brought peace to Homeworld, created a place where Gems don't have to live in fear because of what they are."

Pearl got to her feet. "And what about the 'upper-crust?' What about all of those Gems who you forced underground, threatening to shatter them if they so much as showed their face? Do they live in fear, Bismuth? This isn't peace. You didn't end the Diamonds, you just replaced them."

Bismuth sat back down in her throne. "I'm bringing justice for years of oppression! They're paying for the way they've treated Gems like us for millions of years! So what if they live in fear? Think of it as what you'd call 'poetic justice.'"

"You aren't justice," said Pearl. "You aren't justice, you're a tyrant. What happened to the Bismuth I used to know?"

"I _am_ that Bismuth!" she answered. "It doesn't have to be this way, Pearl! We can go back to how things used to be: you, me, Garnet, Amethyst. We can be free now."

"Is this what Rose Quartz would have wanted?" Pearl asked softly.

Bismuth sighed. "I loved Rose Quartz, you know that. We all did. But she was too soft. She wanted to save everybody. But you can't save Gems like the Diamonds, or their followers. The only way to achieve the paradise she wanted was by shattering every last one of them."

"That isn't the Crystal Gem way," Pearl whispered.

"No, it isn't," admitted Bismuth. "But that's how things are done in the New Crystal Republic. Now, I'm going to ask you one more time: are you in or out?"

Pearl was silent for several seconds. She continued to evade Bismuth's gaze.

"Well?" asked Bismuth.

Pearl grinned. "You know, this new castle of yours is like a maze. It would have taken forever to find your throne room without help. Lucky for me I could get an audience with you, hmm?"

"Now what are you talking about?" said Bismuth.

"Oh, nothing," Pearl said. "I'm just buying time so Steven can follow the signal from the tracking device inside my gem."

At that very moment, the doors to the throne room burst open. Light flooded into the room, momentarily blinding Bismuth. She made a mental note to increase the lighting in her throne room. Once her eyes adjusted, she saw a cloaked figure enter the room, slightly taller than Pearl. The gems of Bismuth's guards lie on the floor.

"For someone so outgoing, you sure are reclusive!" the figure joked in a distinctly male voice. "I would have thought you would prefer to be out amongst your adoring subjects."

"S-Steven?" asked Bismuth. "I thought you were dead."

"Nope. Well, not on the outside, anyway," the cloaked figure who was apparently Steven responded. "You gave it your best shot, though."

Bismuth stood up. "I take it you're here to talk me down? Show me the error of my ways, and convince me to make amends?"

"Well, would you?" Steven asked. He had gone over to Pearl, undoing her restraints.

"Steven, I understand you're an optimist, but you need to realize that this is the only way."

"I take it that's a no?" Steven said. "Well, it was worth a shot." In a glow of pink light, the familiar shape of Rose's shield appeared on his arm. "Bismuth, what I 'realize' is that you need to be stopped. I don't want to fight you, but I will if you make me."

Bismuth shook her head, picking up a Breaking Point she had stashed behind her throne for just such an occasion. "This has nothing to do with what I make you do. Everything I do is for the good of Homeworld."

"Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst are held up in the foyer. You go help them, I can take her," Steven said. Pearl left, but not before planting a kiss on Steven's forehead.

"Don't die," she said. And then she was gone.

Steven turned to face Bismuth. He grabbed his cloak and threw it off of himself, revealing not only that the young boy had grown into a man, but that this fight with Bismuth had left him closer to dead than he let on.

Bismuth visibly recoiled. "What happened to _you_?" she asked.

"You happened," said Steven. He was covered in burns, long since scarred over. "After our little tussle in the forge, I was stuck down there for three days until the Crystal Gems found me. Well, Ruby found me, because she was the only one you didn't poof! My healing powers kept me alive, but the end result was not pretty."

"You can say that again," Bismuth said. "But crispy or not, I'm still not going to let you destroy everything I've built." She attached the Breaking Point to her arm, priming it to fire.

"You're the one who destroyed," said Steven. "Once all is said and done, we've got a lot of rebuilding ahead of us."

"So you insist on doing this the hard way," said Bismuth. "Fine. Nothing personal, then. It's just Bismuth."

"I'd say it's nothing personal with me, either," said Steven, "but I do kinda look like Darth Vader thanks to you, so…"

Bismuth walked down the steps to her throne. Steven readied his shield.

"I didn't want it to be this way," said Bismuth. "Just know that you left me no choice."

Steven prepared for battle. "That's where you're wrong," he said. "One of many areas, actually. Everything you've done, that's on you. You made your own choices."

Although she didn't want to admit it, Bismuth knew Steven was right. But if she had not made the choices she did, how would Homeworld have been saved? True, it may not have been the most savory solution, but it wasn't the most savory dilemma. She did what she had to do. Despite all the good that had come from this, she didn't want this to be how everything turned out. But it was the only way.


	3. WiPStBKGtH?

What If Peridot Sent the Beta Kindergarten Gem to Homeworld?

* * *

"_Hello? Is anyone receiving this broadcast? If you can hear me...it's over. We've lost. Do not return to Homeworld. I repeat, do not return to Homeworld, it's been overrun! Gather up every Gem you can with you, and take shelter on the nearest colony. Just to be safe, stay away from the galaxy warps! And whatever you do, don't-_"

* * *

A tall Gem walked down a narrow corridor, flanked by a pair of Ruby guards. The Gem in question was a Garnet, a Demantoid: she had lime-green skin and an afro of black hair, as well as an olive-colored gem was located on the back of her right hand. She wore a rectangular green lens over her left eye.

Demantoid walked with purpose, the Rubies having to jog just to keep up with her. Wherever she was going, it was clear from the look on her face that she would rather be anywhere else at the moment. She and her escorts soon arrived at a door that several more Rubies stood in front of, waving off curious passersby. Once they saw Demantoid approaching, they stepped aside to allow her entry.

Inside the room, which was some sort of residence, yet more Rubies examined the surroundings. A handful of Peridot gems lay on the floor, untouched. Another Gem, this one in a bubble, was floating beside the room's back wall. Though obscured by the bubble's red membrane, the square-faceted stone seemed to be blue or green in color.

"I don't see why you needed me for this," Demantoid said. You seem to have the situation under control."

One of the Rubies in charge of the investigation turned towards her superior, saluting. "My Demantoid, this is far less under control than it looks. It-I can't really explain it. I think it'll be best of you hear about it from an inside source."

With that, the Ruby led Demantoid into an adjacent room where yet more Rubies stood. They were surrounding and trying to calm a frightened-looking Era-2 Peridot. Demantoid sat down next to the green Gem.

"Good, a Demantoid's here," one of the other Rubies said. "Why don't you tell her what you told us?"

"Yes, please do," Demantoid said. "I'm curious to know what all the fuss is about."

The Peridot took a moment to collect herself. "Okay," she said, sighing. "It was a normal day, and we were just going about our daily routines. All of a sudden, a green bubble appears out of nowhere, with a gem inside it."

"Yes, I saw that outside," said Demantoid. "I suppose you let her out?"

"5XP did," the Peridot continued. "She popped the bubble, and the Gem began to form her physical body, as usual. But...it wasn't a Gem."

"Not a Gem?" said Demantoid. "What do you mean?"

"It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. This horrible creature with sharp claws, and too many eyes, and tentacles coming out of its mouth. It was monstrous."

"And, did it destabilize 5XP?" Demantoid asked.

"It destabilized _everyone_," the Peridot said, clearly shaken. "If the Rubies hadn't shown up, I wouldn't have made it."

Demantoid placed a comforting hand on the Peridot's shoulder. "Easy, easy. Tell me, what's your name?"

P-Peridot Facet 9L7 C-Cut 5XY," she answered. "But m-my facet-mates call me Dottie."

"Well, Dottie, you're okay now. That thing is contained, and your facet-mates will be back in no time. You just stay here for now, okay? We'll take care of everything, don't you worry."

The Peridot nodded. Demantoid stood up and walked back into the main room, gesturing for the head Ruby to follow her.

"Well, this isn't how I thought today would go," the Garnet said. "How are we supposed to deal with a case like this? Any theories as to what that thing was?"

"Not from me, no," the Ruby answered. "We don't know what it was, where it came from, even why it's here. We were gonna send it to the labs, see if we can't get some answers."

The two suddenly had their attention drawn to the various Peridot gems strewn across the floor, which had begun to glow. "Huh. That was fast," said Demantoid. "Let's see if we can't get some more information out of them."

One by one, the gemstones rose into the air, and began to retake their forms. While first forming the general shape of a Peridot, it was then that the Gems present realized that something was wrong. The forms twitched and flickered, before becoming something similar to, but not entirely like, a Peridot.

It was as Dottie had said: they were not Gems. Before long, the room was filled with at least seven horrible monsters, each one the size and shape of a Peridot, but with an entirely different appearance. Now eyeless, their hair formed a sort of hardened crest atop their heads. Their legs were replaced with a cluster of thrashing tentacles, and their arms ended it curved blades.

Pandemonium broke out. The nearby Rubies lept into action, drawing their weapons as they ran to attack these monstrosities. Demantoid summoned a small flail from her gem. The creatures reacted in kind, fighting back against the Gems that attacked them.

"What the stars are these things!?" the Ruby captain yelled.

"Does it really matter?" said Demantoid. "Just kill them!"

As the room was decimated in the conflict, the Peridots-turned-monsters' numbers were gradually thinned. Before long, only a handful remained. One of them, as the Ruby captain charged at her, lunged at the Gem, crushing her physical form between its jaws.

"Ruby!" yelled Demantoid. She ran towards the monster, but it took off out the window alongside its comrades, disappearing from sight. Demantoid inspected the fallen Ruby's gem: no chips or cracks, fortunately. She handed the gem to another Ruby with orders to take her back to a reformation chamber. "Send these Peridots to labs along with that one while you're at it," she added, pointing to the bubbeld gemstone.

Demantoid stared out the window. There were no signs of the monsters, but she felt certain that they would come up again.

* * *

Demantoid was right, and the monsters resurfaced sooner than she had anticipated. Not two days later, a squad of Jaspers was called in to deal with what a Larimar had called an "aberration of an un-Diamondly nature." The squad soon arrived at an underground facility where this thing was suspected to be hiding.

"Alright, fan out," their leader said with clear boredom in her voice. She clearly didn't expect whatever they were looking for to be a big deal.

"Uh, Captain?" one of the Jaspers said. "I think I see someone over here…"

Their captain approached, shining the light from her gem down the hallway. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

The strange figure crept closer to the squadron. It soon became clear that the Larimar was not exaggerating: the being was a bluish figure standing on six limbs, with three sets of eyes on its lower jaw. On one of its arms, a Turquoise gemstone was clearly visible.

* * *

Now, neither the Jaspers or the Larimar knew about the incident with the Peridots. Though Demantoid soon found out about the incident with the Turquoise.

"You're telling me that one Turquoise managed to eliminate an entire squadron of Jaspers?" said Demantoid in disbelief.

"It wasn't a Turquoise anymore," said Dottie, who was the one to deliver the news to the Garnet. "Witnesses who saw it said it was the same color as a Turquoise, and had the gemstone of one, but looked nothing like it."

Demantoid shook her head. "First those Peridots, then that Ruby, and now this. What's next?"

"That isn't the worst part," Dottie said. "The Jaspers that were taken out? They turned, too."

"You're kidding," said Demantoid. "Whatever's causing this, it-it spreads?"

"Looks like it," Dottie said, nodding.

"Well, the best we can do now is to contain it," said Demantoid. "We should warn the public of the threat, and hunt down as many of those things as we can before-"

An Aquamarine, her teardrop gemstone on her forehead, suddenly burst into the room. "Demantoid!" she shouted. "You're going to want to see this!"

Demantoid stood up. "_Now_ what?" she grumbled, following the hysterical blue Gem outside. Dottie followed close behind.

It wasn't long before she heard the sounds of chaos beneath them. Demantoid's office was several stories up, but the devastation down below could be seen from all the way up there. A trio of monsters, each at least three stories tall, were on a rampage on the ground. With all the dust they kicked up, it was hard to make out any details, but they seemed to be grey with piercing yellow eyes.

"Oh my stars," Demantoid said. "Are those…?"

"Jets, yes," said the Aquamarine. "They just showed up out of nowhere, I have no idea what they are or where they came from!"

"I think I might," said Demantoid.

"Guess the public already knows," Dottie said nervously. "What's your call?"

"Same as before," Demantoid said. She turned to a Citrine standing guard nearby. "You there! Spread the word. Mobilize the Quartzes, Topazes, Rubies, I don't care if we have to get the Bismuths involved, just get everyone we can down there to fight those things!"

A sudden crash came from above them. Another monster had jumped through a window on a higher floor. This one was blue, resembling a horned serpent. It's wings made of water made it recognizable as a corrupted Lapis Lazuli. It wasn't alone, either: more monster Gems began spilling from the doors and windows, alongside the regular Gems fleeing from them.

"They're inside the building," Dottie said quietly.

"Scratch that, scratch that," Demantoid said. "New plan: we have to get as far away from here as possible. _Now_."

* * *

Mere minutes was all it took. The entire city was soon filled with hundreds of thousands of terrible monstrosities. From smaller than a Ruby to larger even than a Diamond, sporting wings, talons, claws, horns, and everything in between.

Demantoid had gathered a small group of Gems, with all of them now riding on a monorail towards the relative safety of the capital. "Right now, the Diamonds are our only chance," Demantoid had told her subordinates. "Gather up as many Gems as you can, and head there."

Destruction rained down around the group as the train flew through the cities. Whatever this plague was, it seemed it had spread far and wide.

"There's just no end to them," Dottie said, looking out the window. "Where did they come from in the first place?"

"I wish I knew," Demantoid said. "I had never seen anything like this until that one showed up in that bubble…"

Dottie sighed as she sat down next to Demantoid. "First 5XG goes rogue, and now this. I just don't know what to make of it."

Demantoid was suddenly struck by a revelation. "5XG...she was one of your facet-mates, right?"

"Mm-hmm," Dottie said. "I couldn't believe it when I heard what she did. She was the last Gem I would have suspected to turn traitor like that."

"The bubble was green…" Demantoid said. "Dottie, whatever is causing this, 5XG is at the center of it!"

"She is? But how would she-"

The train was suddenly rocked by a loud bang. Something large had landed on the roof. More smaller bangs indicated that the creature was headed to the back of the train.

"What was that!?" Aquamarine shouted.

"Nothing good," Demantoid said, standing up. "Everyone who can, get ready for combat. Everyone else, head for the front of the monorail."

Accompanied by the sound of tearing metal, a slender humanoid figure crawled its way into the vehicle. Given the ice that gathered on the torn metal as it crawled its way in, as well as its single eye, it was apparent that this was once a Sapphire. The curved horns, cloven hooves, and fang-filled mouth were new, however.

Demantoid summoned her flail. She was backed by a handful of Rubies and Quartzes, and at least one Topaz. "Alright, let's get this going!"

The creature charged. Demantoid swung her weapon, which connected with the beast's skull. The monster was thrown into the wall, crumpling into a heap on the floor.

"Huh. That was easy," a Carnelian said.

But it wasn't over yet. More creatures like the first, of all different colors, poured through the gap. They spilled over each other as they charged towards the Gems, seemingly desperate to tear them apart.

Demantoid and the others held the line valiantly, fending the corrupted Gems off before they could attack their defenseless comrades. The Garnet brought her flail down on monster after monster, reducing their physical bodies to mist as their gems clattered to the floor. That was until one of them latched onto her from the side.

Demantoid tried to shake the corrupted Sapphire off of her, but it held firm. She ran towards the wall with the aim of slamming it against the barrier; unfortunately for her, because her vision was obscured by the creature attached to her, she had the misfortune of running directly into a window. Both Gems tumbled downwards.

As the Sapphire fell to the streets below, Demantoid felt a hand grasp around her wrist before she could fall far. Or rather, not a hand, but several disembodied fingers. She looked up to see Dottie pulling her back into the train car.

"Thanks for the save," she said, pulling herself up. "Aren't you supposed to be at the front of the monorail?"

"I wanted to help," Dottie said. "I may not be a fighter, but I _can_ fight if I need to."

"Well, I suppose we could use your help," she said. Hearing a noise, the green Garnet peered upwards. Many more of the corrupted Sapphires ran alongside the train, leaping off of the ledge to land on its roof.

"Speaking of," Demantoid said, pulling herself through the window.

"This isn't good," Aquamarine said. "What exactly is your plan?"

Demantoid continued to slam her flail into the attackers as Dottie fired on them from afar with her arm cannon. "We make it to the capital, find the Diamonds, and put and end to this mess," the Garnet said. "...Oh, you meant right now? How about we disconnect the rear car? That should give us some space."

"That doesn't sound ideal, but I suppose we don't have much choice," said Aquamarine. "Let's do it."

At Demantoid's urging, everyone began to fall back against the flow of their attackers towards the front of the vehicle. Once everyone had made it into at least the next-to-last car, Dottie used her cannon to sever the connector, causing the last car, filled with corrupted Sapphires, to fall behind them. The ones above continued to give chase, but could not run fast enough to catch up with the survivors.

All the Gems aboard the monorail gave a collective sigh of relief. Many sat down in the seats, relieved at having survived the ordeal. Before long, they had arrived at Homeworld's capital city.

As the train passed through the glowing metropolis, the refugees were disheartened to find that it, too, as overrun with the monsters. Hundreds upon thousands of them, in fact, beasts of all shapes and sizes filling the walkways in endless hordes.

"Not here, too!" cried Aquamarine. "How are we supposed to get out of this one?"

"Don't give up just yet," Demantoid said. "It's like I said, we just need to find the Diamonds. They'll take care of everything."

The monorail rounded a corner, a massive skyscraper coming into view. The monsters seemed to be giving it a wide berth, possibly because it was on fire. But the speed at which they fled from the building suggested they were fleeing from something else.

Dottie was the first to pick up that something was wrong. "Is there...something inside there?" she said.

With a violent crash, a truly massive shape burst forth from the upper floors of the skyscraper. A pair of leathery wings spread, guiding the enormous monster to the rooftop of another building where it perched with its similarly giant talons. With the debris cleared, the Gems now had a better look at the beast. In addition to the wings it sported where its arms once where, the monster had two horns, one atop the other, protruding out from its head on top of its eyeless face. The beast was a bright yellow in color, and a huge yellow gemstone sat in the middle of its chest.

Demantoid could only stare in horror as the monster let out a roar. "Stars save us…"

* * *

The capital fell. Millions were lost to the endless sea of teeth and claws. With every Gem that was claimed by the hordes of abominations, another monster would rise.

Their only hope was to leave their planet behind. Those that were able to survive the onslaught piled into ships, flying off to safety on one of Homeworld's numerous colonies.

The hanger was under attack. Quartz soldiers held off the attackers as well as they could, but their numbers were growing. To make matters worse, each Quartz that was destroyed would remanifest as a terrible beast.

Demantoid stood guard in front of the survivors as they boarded the vessel. It was an older ship, one that hadn't been used in some time, and thus took a while to get working.

Dottie fiddled with some cables underneath the ship's control panel. "I've almost got it," she said. "Al we'll need then is some way to jumpstart the engine."

"I don't trust this old rustbucket," Aquamarine said. "Is this really the only ship we could find?"

"The only one that wasn't swarming with monsters," Dottie said as she got to her feet. "There, that should just about do it. Now, what can we do about that engine?"

"I'll see what I can do," Aquamarine said. "I'm sure there's somebody around here who can help."

Dottie made her way to the docking bay. Demantoid and several other soldiers were fighting off the endless armies of monsters. Dottie took aim with her cannon, opening fire on a tentacled beast that was about to pounce on Demantoid. The Peridot ran down the ramp towards the Garnet.

"Demantoid, we're almost ready to take off," she said. "Take the rest of them out and get aboard!"

The Garnet smashed several nearby creatures with her flail. "We can't," she said. "If we give them even an inch, they'll be all over us. We have to hold them back so you can take off."

Behind them, the ship's engines suddenly roared to life, causing the entire hangar to quake. "Demantoid, let's go!" cried Dottie. "We have to leave now!"

The shaking caused more of the barricades to crumble. More and more of the terrible monsters were forcing their way passed the defences, hellbent on destroying everything in their path. More of the defenders were lost to the swarm.

"I'm afraid I can't go with you," Demantoid said solemnly. "I have to stay here to give you a fighting chance." Indeed, the monsters had all but demolished the blockades in their way, and would do the same to the ship if they didn't leave immediately.

"Demantoid...thank you," Dottie said. "I'm glad I got to spend my last few days on Homeworld with you."

Demantoid smiled. "Same to you. Goodbye, Dottie." With one last glance at her savior, the Peridot boarded the ship, which slowly lifted off into the sky.

Monsters surrounded Demantoid. She clutched her flail tight, refusing to let her fear get the better of her. "Come on, you clods, let's see what you've got!"

As the ship rose into the sky, the last Dottie saw of Demantoid was her valiantly taking on dozens of corrupted Gems. The ship continued upwards, rising high above the ruined city, off the fallen planet, and towards the stars.

The handful of survivors were relieved, but far from happy. Their home, which they had known all their lives, had fallen in a matter of days. As the ship flew silently through hyperspace, there was a definite air of melancholy among them.

"I can't believe it's over," Aquamarine said. "The entire planet, just...done. Over. And we don't even know what caused it."

Dottie stared out the window. "Maybe not, but I have a few ideas," she said.

"Like?"

"Whatever that thing was that attacked me and my facet-mates, I think it came from Earth."

"Figures," growled Aquamarine. "It seems like all of our problems recently have come from Earth."

Dottie nodded. "I know this seems bad, but if we can find out what caused it, maybe we can find a way to reverse it."

"What, us?" Aquamarine said. "There's less than fifty of us us on this ship, none of us have ever been to Earth before, some of us maybe haven't even _heard_ of Earth, and I'm pretty sure none of these Gems have seen combat until today!"

Dottie stood up, walking over to the console. "We'll find a way," Dottie said. "Gemkind has survived for eons, and I'm not about to let some traitorous clod end it all."

"So, what are you going to do?" Aquamarine asked.

Dottie activated the transceiver, preparing to send out a broadcast. "I'm going to retake our home."

"You?" Aquamarine said in disbelief.

"No, not me," the Peridot answered as she prepared to speak. "At least, not _just_ me."

* * *

"_-give up hope! We are Gems! Homeworld may have fallen, but we're still out here, and we won't let our empire crumble without a fight! Are we going to let all our allies' sacrifices be in vain, or are we going to take a stand? Maybe not today, maybe not this year, but we will retake our home, just you wait! After all, we've got each other-and that's all we need._"

* * *

**AN: Yeah, yeah, I know that this isn't how corruption really works, but I wanted to write a "zombie apocalypse" type story, and that seemed like the best way for a Gem to become one.**

**Anyways, I'm thinking about expanding this one into a full series. What do you guys think?**

**Happy Halloween!**


	4. What If Everyone Had a Pleasant Winter?

What If Everyone Had a Pleasant Winter?

* * *

Beach City was mostly a warm place, even towards the end of the year. However, despite the occasional bout of rainy weather here and there, it could be almost be guaranteed that for at least one day of the year, snow would fall down upon the quiet streets of the seaside town. Today was that day, or at least the first of several: snow had been falling since just before dawn, and the ground was now covered in a blanket of the soft white powder. And this year was the first year that Little Homeworld experienced snow.

"Thanks again for making these for me on such short notice, Bismuth!" said Steven, walking out of the latter's forge with tote-bag in hand. "The Gems are going to love 'em!"

"Hey, don't mention it!" said Bismuth with a wave. "Anything for our founder!"

Steven laughed. "Okay, I'll leave you to it. Have a nice one."

"You too, kid. See ya 'round."

Little Homeworld was bustling with activity today, even more so than usual. Gems of all colors and sizes walked through the streets, many of them having never seen snow before. Some humans were present as well, bundled up in thick jackets and woolen sweaters, with all the other winter dressings that this weather entailed.

"Steven! Over here!" Steven, recognizing the voice of Connie, turned in her direction to see the young woman waving to him. He hurried over.

"Connie! I wasn't expecting to see you here today," said Steven, after a brief embrace between the two. "What brings you to Little Homeworld?"

"Oh, nothing," said Connie with a sly smile. "I just figured you'd be here for Little Homeschool today, so I thought I'd drop by...to give you this."

Connie then ducked behind a tree for a moment, much to Steven's confusion. When she emerged, she was holding a tiny potted plant; a miniature pine tree in a ceramic pot painted with all sorts of colors. A pink bow adorned the tree's tip.

"Oh, wow, look at that!" Steven said, taking the impromptu gift in his hands. "I love it! What's the occasion?"

"It's a thank-you gift!" Steven turned around to see little Larimar. Behind her were many more Gems that had stayed on Earth after Steven had uncorrupted them. "We wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us."

"Yeah. It was her idea," said Snowflake, indicating Connie. "She got us all together to come up with a special gift for you."

"Ooh! Ooh!" A Gem in the back of the group jumped up with her hand held up. The others parted to reveal Orange Spodumene. "I painted the pot! D'ya like it?"

Steven looked at the pot, which was painted with no particular direction, various colors haphazardly splotched here and there. "Of course I like it," he said. "It's beautiful, the pot _and_ the tree. Thanks, guys."

The Gems all gave their you're-welcome's and don't-mention-it's. "I knew you'd like it," said Connie.

"So…" said Steven. "Not that it's a problem, but why a tree?"

"Well, I figured some type of plant would be best-"

"Because it's something you can only find on Earth!" interjected Crazy Lace with a wave.

"Right, an Earth plant," said Connie. "And an evergreen because no matter how cold it gets, it's always in bloom." She wrapped her arms around Steven. "Just like you."

Steven blushed. "Aww, guys. I didn't even...actually, that gives me an idea. I'll be right back!" Steven took off running in the direction he came from. "Meet me back at the temple!"

"You see, guys?" said Connie. "I told you this was the right call."

"Where's he going?" said Larimar. "Did we say something wrong?"

"No, no, of course not," said Connie. "It's just that usually, for humans, when someone gives you a gift, it's polite to get them one as well. I'll bet that's where he's going."

"He _did_ have a bag with him," said Bixbite. "Come on, let's meet him back at the Crystal Temple!"

And so the group walked down towards the temple, snow crunching beneath their feet. Just before strolling out of Little Homeworld, Connie noticed a Quartz standing underneath a balcony, looking curiously at the falling snow. She had seen this Gem around recently, but she was new enough that the two hadn't interacted much before. She let the others know what she was doing, and that she'd meet them at the temple, before jogging over to the solitarty Gem.

"Uh...hi!" said Connie, unsure of how to approach her. "What's going on over here?"

The pinkish Gem regarded the human newcomer for a moment before going back to stare at the precipitation. "What..._is_ this stuff?" she asked quietly.

"O-Oh, this?" said Connie, scooping up a handful. "It's snow. You've never seen it before?"

The Quartz shook her head. "Never. So, this stuff just falls from the sky here?"

"Sometimes," said Connie. "Only when it's really cold, though. It is frozen water, after all."

"This stuff is water?" said the curious Quartz. She held out her hand, as a single snowflake landed on her palm. She got a moment to look at it, before it melted into a droplet of water. She tilted her hand to let the droplet drip from her palm. "This planet's weird."

"In a good way or a bad way?" asked Connie.

"Neither, I guess," said the Gem. "I do like it here, but it takes some getting used to." She looked at the human girl. "I've seen you around with Steven. What was your name again?"

"I'm Connie," she said. "I'm Steven's gi-er, friend. Actually, you know what? I'm his girlfriend. And you are?"

"I'm Cherry Quartz," said the Gem. "I don't really know what I am yet, but Steven's helping me figure that out."

"Oh! Speaking of Steven, we're all heading down to the temple for a surprise," said Connie. "Would you like to come, too?"

"What kind of surprise is it?" asked Cherry.

"We don't know. That's why it's a surprise," said Connie. "Hopefully, it's a good one. Come on!"

Cherry Quartz took a hesitant step into the snow, which crunched beneath her boot. She did the same with her other foot as well, less hesitantly this time. She and Conni then walked off to join the other Gems.

In no time at all, Steven arrived at the temple, accompanied by Bismuth. He now held two bags, each one seeming to be quite full.

"Here he is!" said Pearl, waving to him. He waved back, at least as best he could carrying two full bags.

Amethyst wasted no time in cutting to the chase. "So, Steven, what's this surprise everyone's been talking about? You didn't find _another_ lion, did you?"

Lion perked up at this notion.

"No, no, nothing like that," said Steven. "It's just a little something I thought you'd like."

Lion laid back down, relieved at not having any competition.

"Anyways, close your eyes and hold out your hand," said Steven. Amethyst did so. "_All_ your eyes!" Amethyst closed the several other eyes she had shapeshifted on her body.

"So, do you know what he brought?" Snowflake whispered to Garnet.

"Yes," Garnet whispered back. "But I don't want to spoil the surprise."

"And, there," said Steven. "You can look now."

Amethyst examined what Steven had placed in her palm. It was a tiny metal engraving of her, colored and everything. A small loop was placed at the top, through which a string was run.

"Hey, look at that!" laughed Amethyst. "It's a little me!"

"Ta-da!" Steven tilted the bags towards the others, revealing more of the tiny figures. "There's one for everyone!" The small crowd of Gems walked forwards to retrieve their very own little metal self, which Steven gladly handed out. "Okay, one for Crazy Lace Agate, one for Biggs, one for Lapis…"

"Wow, look at all of this!" said Connie. "Everyone looks so happy. How'd you come up with these?"

"Easy," said Steven. "I wanted to honor everyone who fills my life with happiness. And I figured the best way to do that was to give them what I like about them: themselves!"

"Yep, it's a real cute idea," said Bismuth. She held her own little figurine in her hand. "Once Steven told me, I knew everyone'd love it!"

"At first, I only made some for Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl and me," said Steven. "But once all of you gave me this..." he indicated the potted tree, which rested on the porch, "...I realized that every one of you should get one. You're all part of my family, after all."

"Aww, Steven," said Connie. "You probably get this a lot, but you're the sweetest, kindest, most generous boy I know."

Steven smiled. "And you're the smartest, bravest, most selfless girl I know," he said. "Which is why I made you this."

Steven handed one of the figurines to Connie, which bared her likeness. She carried her new sword over her shoulder. A simple trinket, yet it nevertheless warmed her heart. "I love it."

"I'm glad," said Steven. "Because I love the genuine article." Steven and Connie shared an embrace, their foreheads resting against each other.

"Aww, young love!" said Peridot, holding her own figure.

Before long, everyone from Little Homeworld and beyond had their own little figurines of themselves. Steven even had the foresight to have one made for Cherry Quartz, who regarded hers with a quaint curiosity. Only two remained.

"Pearl, here's yours," said Steven, handing her one.

"Oh, Steven, it's beautiful!" she said. "A lot of hard work must have been put into it."

"Heh, you know it!" said Bismuth.

"And last but definitely not least, here's yours, Garnet!" Steven handed the fusion hers, which depicted not only her, but Ruby and Sapphire as well, embracing in front of the larger Gem.

Garnet smiled. "Thank you, Steven. And I know the perfect place to put it." Garnet picked up the miniature tree, and hung the ornament from it's branches. "There. Perfect."

"Oh, hey, look at that!" said Steven. "I didn't even think about hanging them from the tree!"

"It does look rather nice there," said Pearl. She followed Garnet's example and placed her own figure on the tree.

* * *

The sight of the miniature tree covered in ornaments spread, and soon everyone began placing theirs on the tree. The little plant was soon covered in glinting figures of everyone Steven had come to know during his time in Beach City and beyond. Humans and Gems alike adorned the tree: Connie, Lars, Sadie, Greg, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis, Peridot, Bismuth, even all three Diamonds.

The evergreen sat beside Steven's bed as he turned off the light for the night. In what little light remained, the ornaments glinted softly in the moonlight. Steven turned to his side: right in the center of the tree sat a figurine of Jasper.

"One day," Steven said quietly. "One day." And with that, he drifted off to sleep as the snow fell quietly outside.

* * *

**AN: Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa, and a joyous Festivus for the rest of us to all of you!**

**Just a li'l feel-good story I wanted to write for the holidays. I know this isn't _technically_ a what-if, but I didn't want to do a standalone. Anyway, happy holidays!**


	5. What If Pink Diamond Wasn't Gone?

What If Pink Diamond Wasn't 'Gone?'

* * *

"Steven? Steven! Steven, please, stay with me!"

"Mmm...w-what?" Groggily, Steven awoke. His head pounding, he tried to remember where he was. Everything around him was white...White! What had she done? To his friends...to him? "W-where's my…?"

Steven reached his hand down to his stomach. Nothing. No gem, no hole, not even a belly button. Just smooth skin in the place of Rose Quartz's gemstone.

This same gem was now hovering in the air at shoulder level to White Diamond. A dim pink light glowed from it, which took the shape of Pink Diamond. As it slowly lowered to the ground, the light shifted to that of Rose Quartz. Further down, it became that of Steven himself. Pink, Rose, Steven. Pink, Rose, Steven. The gem and its projection cycled between all of its previous holders before setting down on the floor.

"Hello, White," said Pink, her voice quiet and serene. She looked just like the Gem Steven had seen in Pearl's memories, only her physical form had faded, and was slightly see-through.

"Mom?" Steven said. He tried to get to his feet, only to fall back down in his weakened state. Connie helped hold him up as he tried to walk towards her, but without his gem, it was as if he was too weak even to stand.

"There," White said. "Now, isn't that much better? To stretch your legs after all those years? Finally free from that organic husk?"

Pink only looked around the room with a kind of tranquil grace. "White, is this what you've done while I was gone?" The Crystal Gems and other Diamonds had all been placed under White Diamond's thrall. "Have you been inside your ship this whole time? How many more Gems have you bleached?"

"As many as is necessary," said White. "And you will be among them unless you stop this childish nonsense."

Pink sighed, shaking her head. "White, you really don't get it, do you? All of this...this is exactly _why_ I had to become Rose Quartz in the first place!"

"NO!" White quite literally put her foot down, shaking the entire ship as all the Gems she had taken over stomped at once. All of them, most notably White herself, wore a scowl. "You never 'had' to do anything! You _wanted_ a colony!"

"No," Pink said, barely audible. "What I wanted was to be free. To be my own Diamond, my own Gem. That's why I wanted a colony. But I couldn't even do that." For the first time since she formed, she looked White in the eye. "Don't you see? You all said you loved me, but you went about it the wrong way." Pink walked over to the wall, where a thin reflection of herself could be seen. She placed her hand against it. "And I suppose I did as well. I'm sorry."

"Mom, you're...alive," Steven said softly. Something about her presence allowed him to stand in his weakened state. He slowly began walking towards her.

Pink turned towards her son, and smiled. "Steven," she said warmly. She began walking towards him. With each step, her form changed, becoming that of Rose Quartz by the time she reached him. She reached down, placing a hand on his cheek. "It's so good to finally meet you."

"Is it...is it really you?" said Steven.

"It is," said Rose. "I'm here. But I can't stay for long." She lifted Steven off the ground and into her arms.

"Why not?" asked Steven. "Are you...dying?"

Rose's form had grown even fainter since she had first arrived. "In a way," she replied. "I hate to say it, but we both are."

"What?"

"Yes. Steven, do you remember what I said to you in that video tape? I was going to become half of you. Both of us can't exist. I gave up my form so that you could live."

Steven closed his eyes, feeling finally calm in his mother's embrace. "Is that why? You didn't create me to make up for your mistakes?"

"No," she said. "Even though I made plenty of those." Rose chuckled lightly at her dark humor. "Yellow and Blue. Pearl, and Pearl. Bismuth. Spinel…"

"Who?" asked Steven.

"Nevermind for now," Rose said. "Though, you may want to return to my old garden once this is all over. White and the others will know where it is."

"Uh...okay," Steven said.

"The point is, you were never supposed to be my replacement, or my redemption," Rose continued. "You were never supposed to be my anything, except for my son. I had always intended for you to be a human being, to live your own life. I'm sorry you had to deal with my past mistakes."

Steven began to tear up. "You...I can't tell you how much it means to hear you say that."

Rose, tearing up as well, placed her forehead against Steven's. "My little boy." A tear slid down both of their cheeks, intertwining into one as it fell to the floor. The room lit up with a soft pink glow.

"This isn't how this was supposed to happen!" shouted White. "Y-you're not a human! You're not a Rose Quartz! You're Pink!"

Rose looked up at White. "That's just the thing," she said. "I'm all of them. And Steven is, as well. I may not be Steven, but he is me."

"What do you mean?" Steven asked.

"I mean that I may be gone, but I still live on in you," she said. "Like I said: whenever you love yourself, that's me, loving you. Loving _being_ you. Steven, you have a gift a Gem like me never had. You can change. You can grow. And you've already grown so much. You may be half-Diamond, Steven, but you're already twice the Diamond I ever was." Her gem began to glow brighter and brighter as her aura surrounded herself and Steven.

"Mom, wait!" said Steven. "There's so much I haven't told you!"

"I already know," Rose said with a smile. "I'm half of you," she said.

"Mom, I...I love you."

"I love you too, Steven," said Rose. "And Steven? When all of this is over, I want you to tell them that I love them, too."

"Who?" Steven asked.

"Everyone."

The pink glow that filled the room finally began to subside, leaving behind a warmth and the sweet smell of roses. Steven stood at the center of the room, his arms wrapped around himself. Rose's gemstone-his gemstone-had retaken its place on his stomach. Steven smiled through his tears. "She really did love me," he said. "I'm not her, or her replacement, I'm...me."

Steven wasn't the only one with tears in his eyes. White Diamond, and all of her other selves, had begun to tear up as well. White fell to her knees, all the others following suit. "This isn't...what have…" She looked down at her hands. "Pink...what have I done? Everything I've done...I'm the reason you thought we didn't love you." White placed her face in her hands, as she and all the Gems under her control began quietly sobbing. "I'm sorry, Pink. I'm sorry…"

Steven could feel her anguish, her heartbreak. Wiping away his own tears, he placed a comforting hand on White's knee. "You know...she really did love you, even when she gave up her form to have me," he said. "But we can't worry about that now."

"I don't know what to do," White said. "For the first time in my life, I...I don't have the answer. How can I be perfect if I don't know what to do?"

"Well, nobody's _really_ perfect," said Steven. "I thought my mom was, but it turns out she really wasn't. She made a lot of mistakes. But then again, so did I. It doesn't mean we don't mean well, or try our best. Making mistakes is what being human is all about. And it can be what being a Gem is about, too."

White wiped away her tears. "Oh, Starlight." She held out her palm, which Steven stepped on to, and lifted him closer to her face. "How can I make this better? How can I atone for everything I've done?"

"The way I see it," said Steven, "for something to get better, first you have to want it to get better. And to do that...you need to put in effort to _make_ it better."

White smiled slightly. "You really are her son," she said. "What must she think of me now? After everything I put her through?"

"Well, I may not be her," said Steven. "But I do know that she thinks you're pretty great."

White placed Steven back down, tearing up again. As she cried, a pink blush filled her cheeks. Slowly, color began to return to those she had taken over.

"What? What's going on?" said Yellow. "W-White?"

"Steven?" said Pearl. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Pearl," he said. "Better than alright."

"Steven!" Connie tackled Steven in a hug. "You did it!"

"I did!" said Steven, laughing. "Wait...did I?" He turned around. Blue and Yellow were both listening to White explain what had happened. In spite of everything, none of them seemed to hold the other any malice. "Yeah. I think I did," said Steven.

"Steven Universe of Earth," said White, in an authoritative tone. "You may not be Pink, but you're still a Diamond. And you've done something no other Diamond has ever managed to do."

"And..what's that?" he asked.

White grinned. "You changed my mind."

"So, does this mean you're not going to destroy the Earth?" asked Steven.

"Of course not," said White. "It's your planet, after all."

Steven and all the Crystal Gems immediately flew into each other's arms in celebration. At long last, after much hardship, after trials and tribulations, Steven, his friends and family, and all of Earth were finally safe from Homeworld. And all it took was Steven being himself. Literally.

"Um, excuse me, White?" said Connie. "Er, Miss White? Your maje-never mind. How did you know what a 'mother' or 'son' is? I didn't think Gems had children."

"We don't," said White. "But that's a story for another time."


	6. What If YD Took Peridot's Advice?

What If Yellow Diamond Took Peridot's Advice?

* * *

She never thought she'd make it this far. For that matter, even if she believed she would make it, she never thought she _could_. Nevertheless, here she was. Her, a lowly Peridot, about to make a suggestion to Her Diamond. Yellow Diamond, notorious for her dislike of insubordination. But if she didn't...there was no telling what would happen.

There was no telling what would happen if she _did_, either, but no sense in not trying, right? Hesitantly, she spoke.

"No, I mean...the reason I called...the real reason is...I believe we should terminate the Cluster." Just speaking these words, so contrary to everything she had been told, made her fearful of retribution.

In response, Her Diamond slowly turned her head to face her. That lone eye, seeing all on Homeworld and beyond, seemed to bore straight through her. That golden iris held a barely-contained fury just beneath its surface. "...Why?"

In all honesty, Peridot was surprised by this response. She had expected to be shot down instantly; but here she was, Her Diamond allowing her to explain herself. Peridot had to momentarily collect her thoughts before continuing. "T-The organic ecosystem creates resources unique to this world. We can't sacrifice all that potential for just one geo-weapon! I'd like to tell you some of the plans I came up with to utilize the planet without disrupting the local-"

"Very well."

Once again, a surprising response. "M-My Diamond?"

Yellow Diamond stared at the small green Gem, her annoyance clear. "Have I stuttered? Or is the reception from Earth insufficient for such an ancient communicator? I despise repeating myself, so I will do so only once more: I agree with your statement. Resources are thin as is. If you have a plan to acquire more, then I will hear it."

After the initial shock of Her Diamond listening to her suggestions-her, a lowly Peridot!-she launched into 'duty mode' once again. "Of course, My Diamond! I would be glad to! You see, first, I suggest we-"

"Not now," said Yellow Diamond, her voice icy. "If what you have to say is so important, then I will come to hear it myself."

"You mean...you're coming to Earth?" said Peridot, the shock in her voice clear.

"Not alone, of course," said the Diamond. "If these ideas of yours are truly important enough to warrant you using this communications line, I will be bringing several teams of Gems to begin working on them immediately."

"Im-immediately?" Peridot said.

Yellow Diamond glared at her once more. "What have I said about repeating myself?" she growled. "I will be arriving soon. Expect me within five local solar cycles. And do not disappoint me." With that, the image of the imposing Gem disappeared. The communicator shrunk down to its original size, lowering itself down into the shocked Peridot's hands.

Yellow Diamond...was coming here…

From the bridge of her command vessel, Yellow Diamond glared down at the miserable blue planet beneath her. The very planet where her beloved Pink had been so cruelly snatched away from her by those horrendous Crystal Gems. From above, it looked just like any other inhabited planet in the universe. But, for reasons completely unknown to her, it warranted a rebellion in the eyes of that scoundrel, Rose Quartz. Memories of the world's inhabitants flooded back to her: humans, they called themselves. Why were they so much more special than other organic lifeforms? Why did this planet, out of thousands, possibly millions like it, warrant an uprising? Why did Pink deserve to die for their sake?

"My Diamond, we have triangulated the location of the Diamond communicator," one of the Gems on the bridge said."

"Good," said Yellow. "Prepare for planetfall. I wish to speak to this Peridot in person."

And so, the small armada descended to the Earth's surface. No doubt the humans were quite unnerved by the sudden approach of numerous large spaceships suddenly landing. While a single hand-ship could possibly slip beneath the notice of the world's governments, this fleet was likely noticed by just about everyone. Luckily for the humans, they apparently decided not to engage these alien invaders. Doing so would not have ended well, after all. As long as they didn't make this difficult for her, Yellow really couldn't care less what the local organic lifeforms thought of her approach.

Yellow's flagship touched down in a grassy field among numerous hills. The transmission had originated not far from here. Yellow Diamond stepped out of the ship and onto the planet's surface.

The first thing she noticed was the smell. So thick was the air with the pungent scent of all things organic, it was almost as if she was being assaulted by it. The Earth's atmosphere was absolutely caked with the scent of these hideous organisms. Unwanted evidence of their means of expending energy, absorbing and discarding biomass, reproduction-it was enough to make Yellow consider renewing Gem production on the spot. Despite this, she moved onward to rendezvous with the Peridot. After all, in the long run, a surplus of resources were worth a few unpleasant moments on the Earth's surface.

Further tracing the communicator's signal led Yellow and her entourage to a small wooden building, crudely cobbled together with primitive design methods. Standing in front of it was the Peridot, looking pitiful before the approaching Diamond. How she had survived for so long on this hostile planet, alone without her escort, was beyond Yellow.

The Diamond loomed over the small Gem. "So...this is the planet you wish to save so badly," she said. She stared contemptuously at the landscape around her. "It's just as disgusting as I remember," she muttered.

Peridot took a moment to regain her composure, what with being in Her Diamond's direct presence. "My Diamond," she said, saluting. "I-I believe that discontinuing the Cluster's development will allow us to gather more of the resources that this planet has to offer. If we-"

"Yes, I am aware why I came here," Yellow said dismissively. "There is no need to remind me. I'm taking quite a risk trusting your judgement, Peridot, so I hope what you have planned is worth losing this geo-weapon for."

"My Diamond, I can assure you that the Earth is more than capable of providing all the resources we can ask for!" said Peridot. "For example, did you know that organics are capable of reproducing without eliminating entire ecosystems? A planet's inhabitants are completely self-sustaining! And that's not even mentioning how fast they can do it, either! Organics can create more of their kind within a matter of decades!"

"And what are we supposed to care?" said Yellow's Pearl? "You don't think that if we really cared about how organics procreate, we would have-"

"Pearl, that's enough," said Yellow, holding out a hand. "So, this planet has organics. You've made your point. And how exactly is that supposed to help us?"

Nervously, Peridot wrung her hands as she glanced from side to side. There had to be some way to convince the Diamonds. Something that would warrant letting the Earth survive. But what could make the planet worth more than a massive, planet-killing geo-weapon? "Well...My Diamond, humans are some of the most advanced organics I have ever come across. Nowhere near to Gems, of course, but you would honestly be surprised the kinds of advancements they've made in only five thousand years. If we want this resource crisis to end, then...I posit we work together with the humans. There's a lot they have to offer us, and all they'll want in return is some of our advanced technology."

Much to Peridot's dismay, raucous laughter erupted from the Agates and Topazes accompanying Yellow Diamond. To them, the mere idea of giving an organic even that kind of privilege was ridiculous. And mere months ago, Peridot would have thought the same thing. Yellow's Pearl didn't laugh, but the smug look she gave Peridot made it clear that she found it just as funny. Yellow Diamond herself, however, only waited quietly for the laughter to die down before she continued.

"So, allow me to clarify: you wish to work..._alongside_ this planet's locals? As equals?" It was clear from her voice that she was not amused.

"Er, not exactly, My Diamond," Peridot said quickly. "I just think that, with the humans' experience with and knowledge of this planet, they could better help us understand organics as a whole. Does that make sense?"

Silence, as Yellow Diamond pondered what she had just been told. "When I came here today, I expected you to suggest something more typical, like a resource unique to Earth. In a way, though, I suppose you have. With their large numbers, low maintenance, and quick reproduction, the humans could prove extremely useful."

Almost immediately, alarms went off in Peridot's head. "A-and what did you have in mind? M-My Diamond…"

Yellow didn't respond. Instead, she was more focused on sending a message to the other ships. Indicating for her Pearl to open a holoscreen, she contacted the commanders of each of the vessels located in orbit around the globe. "All units, new directive: temporary halting of the Cluster's development. Alpha Squadron, begin boring to the planet's core for termination efforts. All the rest...you are clear to engage. Target major population centers."

"WHAT!?" screamed Peridot. "My Diamond, is this an invasion!?"

"It is now," the Diamond said. "Using the humans as a labor source will prove much more cost-effective now that habited worlds are wearing thin." She looked down at Peridot. "I must say, I'm impressed. For a simple Peridot, your eye for detail could be the very thing that saves our world." She turned around, heading back to her ship.

Just then, the barn exploded. Not from a bomb or weapon, but from something inside of it rapidly increasing in size. Yellow turned around to see a large mass of light, which quickly took shape: standing before her, surrounded by the wreckage of the barn, was what was undoubtedly a Gem fusion. A towering beast with six arms almost taller than Yellow herself, a second mouth opened to unleash a tremendous roar at the Diamond.

Yellow's entourage immediately went into a panic. A few of the Gems drew their weapons, but were unsure of what to do next. A few immediately ran away when faced with the monstrosity. A few more simply stood in place, paralyzed. After Yellow got over the initial shock of this fusion, nevermind another Gem, suddenly appearing, she noticed that the Peridot didn't seem as perturbed as she should have been by this fusion. She ran for cover of course, but the speed with which she reacted almost seemed like she was expecting something like this to happen.

The beast immediately made a beeline for Yellow Diamond, ignoring all the Gems that surrounded her. Not unsurprisingly, given its size. In stark contrast to every single Gem she had brought with her, Yellow herself remained cooly stoic from the moment it had appeared. Without so much as blinking, she held out her hand.

Lightning shot forth from Yellow Diamond's fingertips. Energy surged through the attacking fusion, causing her physical form to evaporate as she ran towards the Diamond. She was destabilized mere inches away from Yellow, the momentum sending her gemstones clattering against Yellow's chest. She made a note that there were four of them.

Her Pearl peered out from behind a Topaz. "Is...is it over?" she asked.

"No, it's only just begun," said Yellow Diamond. She motioned towards the inert gems on the ground. "Bubble these four and have them dealt with. I have a few questions I'd like to ask them," she said to her Gems. "In the meantime…" She turned to Peridot, the anger in her eyes clear. "...we have much to discuss as well."

"My Diamond…?" Peridot said nervously.

"Considering how long you've been stranded on Earth, I imagine getting back to Homeworld will be one of your top priorities. Not to mention, with the knowledge you've gained on humanity, I'll need you to act as my Earth advisor." A small grin creeped across her face. "Shall we get going?"

Peridot wanted to protest. She wanted to resist somehow. But she couldn't. Yellow undoubtedly knew by now that she was connected with the Crystal Gems, at least on the surface level, so further protest would seal the deal for her. Her Diamond would likely shatter her on the spot. She was left with no choice but to follow her. She dutifully saluted Her Diamond before joining the ranks of her entourage, under the condescending looks of Yellow Pearl. She offered one last glance at the barn, or lack thereof, where the only being that had ever showed her kindness still hid, too afraid to face Yellow Diamond by himself. The Crystal Gems were captured, Peridot's hands were tied, and she could hear the sounds of destruction in the distance as she marched back to Yellow's flagship.


	7. What If the Cluster Emerged?

What If the Cluster Emerged?

* * *

Cold. It was warm. Too warm. Now it is cold. Too cold.

Open. It was tight. Too tight. Now it is open. Too open.

Where is the voice? We heard a voice. It spoke to us. We could hear its pain. Its sorrow. Its fear.

Or was that ours?

Why is it so bright? It was dark before, but now there is a light. It hurts our eyes. Is it...the sun? We have not seen the sun in so long. Too long, beneath the Earth.

Where is the Earth?

It was our home, when we were whole. Was it? No, it was our enemy. But was it? The Earth was so many things. Why can we not find it?

Perhaps the Earth is hidden behind one of these rocks. If we move them out of the way, maybe we can find it.

Not here.

Not here either.

Or here. Where is it?

Are...are we the Earth?

We must be. We can't find it. Where else would it be?

If we are the Earth, where are the people? The humans?

We must be their new home now.

Home…

We want to go home.

Back to home.

Back to Homeworld.

* * *

So big. So empty. We are many, and yet we are alone. Why is space so big, and empty, and alone?

Was it us?

Or rather, our kind? Did Gems make the universe empty?

Why did we do that?

* * *

We can see it now. A bright beacon, shining in the distance.

Homeworld. Home.

Some of us have never been there before. They were born on Earth. Knowing nothing but the war. Locked beneath the planet's crust for millennia. Never knowing what the world they came from was like.

What was it like?

It had been so long since we had seen it. Would it be different? Or still the same? How has it changed over the years?

Who won the war?

* * *

That beacon of light in the distance grows ever closer. They have noticed our arrival. Ships have begun to swarm around us. Flashes of light emit from all around us, dimming the stars with their brightness.

But no light could ever cause Homeworld to dim. That brilliance, that island of salvation among the coldness of space. Once we return, all will be well.

We will finally be free.

The Crystal Gems.

The Diamond loyalists.

All of that has since been forgotten. We are one. We are whole.

We have formed.

And now we must be free.

* * *

Ships continue to fly all around us. Their weapons blast against our skin, against our gem. But we do not care.

For we are finally home.

Thousands of tiny lights down on the surface below. Just like the thousands of tiny lights that make up our being. Soon, we will be one.

We can wait no longer. We reach out our arms towards the planet. For too long we have gone without another's embrace.

Even though we are many, we are one. One who is so alone.

The sea of ships flying around us depart. All is still.

And then, we see it.

The lights of Homeworld were calm, comforting. But this new light, it is too harsh. Too hot. Too bright.

This new light bursts up through Homeworld's atmosphere, growing brighter and brighter. It seems to take up the entire sky.

Only then do we realize why. It is coming for us.

We are struck by the light. Instantly, we feel what seems to be a piercing shock seep through our entire being.

What is this…?

We cannot…

No…

No!

NO!

…

…

"There. Isn't that better? So much confusion, a cacophony of voices! But now, you can finally be silent. You can finally be one, now that you are a part of me!"

* * *

**AN: ****This is a bit shorter than what I usually write, but I wanted to try something more minimalistic as a sort of proof-of-concept. Tell me what you think!**


	8. What If Zircon Didn't Get Poofed?

What If Zircon Didn't Get Poofed?

* * *

"Someone with supreme authority...someone like...one of _you_!"

Needless to say, everyone was shocked by this statement. Even the one who had said it, Zircon herself. She watched in horror as Yellow Diamond wordlessly and expressionlessly got up from her throne and walked over to her.

"Uh, disregard that last statement! I might have gotten carried away!" Zircon braced herself as Yellow reached down towards her, prepared to crush her like an ant for daring to insinuate she had shattered her beloved Pink.

"Yellow, stop!"

To Zircon's surprise, Yellow had obliged. She opened one eye: Her Diamond had just saved her. Yellow was about to destroy her physical form, possibly her gemstone as well, but Her Diamond had stopped her. But why?

Meanwhile, Yellow Diamond had turned to face Blue, both of them scowling. "'Stop?' And why should I stop?" asked Yellow.

Blue Diamond got to her feet as well. "Because you cannot keep lashing out at every little thing that draws your ire!"

"And _you_ can't keep wallowing in your sadness!" Yellow retorted, clearly becoming incensed. "No, nevermind, I refuse to get into this right now! Guards! Escort Rose Quartz and the organic back to their holding cells. I will deal with them later… And as for you, Zircon, you are dismissed. Excellent work."

"Thank you ever so much, My beloved Diamond! It is truly an honor to serve you!" replied the yellow Zircon, flashing the Diamond salute. She walked out of the courtroom with a little spring in her step, elated at having won the trial. In her mind, at least.

Meanwhile, several Quartzes came to remove Steven and Lars. This trial may not have gone how Steven had expected, but at least he wouldn't be executed. Yet, at least. He and Lars would have to find some other way to escape.

And so, all that remained within the courtroom were two Diamonds, one Zircon, and the Diamond's Pearls. Yellow Diamond was furious, but seemed to be trying to control her rage. Blue Diamond was as morose as ever, but her eyes now held a steely determination rather than tears. And Zircon was afraid for her life and a little confused as to what was going to happen now. The two Pearls seemed to be just as confused as her.

It was Blue who broke the silence. "Zircon." The blue Gem jumped at her name being called. "What you have said...is it true?"

"Um...y-yes, My Diamond," she said, sweating profusely. "O-of course, by that I mean, it is the only likely possibility. I-I can't prove it per se, but if you look at the evidence, I-"

"_Stop_." Zircon went cold. She knew Yellow Diamond had a temper, but seeing her like this was something else. Rather than being outwardly furious, her anger was seething just beneath the surface, ready to burst out at any moment. "I can't sit here in good conscience, and allow you to accuse one of us of murdering Pink!"

As Zircon retreated inwards, Blue stood up to defend her. "Yellow, that's enough! That isn't what she's saying! Is it, Zircon?"

"N-no, My Diamond, of course not!" Zircon said, relieved that at least one of the two titans had taken her side. "I wouldn't dream of it!"

"Then what _are_ you saying?" Yellow asked, her voice just as seething as before. "According to your theory-which, might I add, has no basis in fact-only a Diamond could have committed the crime."

"And if you'll remember, Yellow, we are not the only two Diamonds," said Blue. Although still restrained, her sorrow seemed to have returned when she said this.

Yellow was both shocked and taken-aback when she reached the same conclusion Blue had. "You can't mean… Surely you're joking!"

"I wish I was," Blue said sadly. "If only a Diamond was capable of shattering Pink, and it wasn't you or I...it had to have been White."

Zircon's heart sank even further than it already had once she realized the full weight of her accusation. Accusing one of the Diamonds of murdering their own was bad enough, but it had now been taken to White Diamond herself. The Diamond of Diamonds. _The_ Diamond. Once again, her search for the truth had landed her in hot water.

"This is insane!" shouted Yellow. "You're prepared to take this on the word of a...of a lowly Zircon!?"

"Lowly or not, she has a point!" replied Blue. "There is no way Rose Quartz could have made it past all of Pink's soldiers! The leader of the Crystal Gems herself-someone would have spotted her!"

"Rose Quartz possessed many powers we do not fully understand," Yellow said. "She must have simply used one of them."

"So does White," Blue said. "We are not even aware of the full extent of her own powers, let alone hers!"

Yellow shook her head. "Once again, you're being irrational, Blue. Even if that was the case, how can you explain the eyewitnesses? We have multiple Gems who saw, very clearly, Rose Quartz shatter Pink."

"But that's where you're wrong," said Blue. "It was a very dark night. Everything happened so suddenly. While the witnesses may very well have seen Rose Quartz, many details would likely have been missed...such as her color."

"Ah! Of course!" cried Zircon. "White Diamond's mind control changes the color of the Gems under it! Using the color of night, she may have-" She trailed off when she noticed both Diamonds staring at her. "Ahem...sorry…"

"Why would White even have been on Earth in the first place!?" asked Yellow. "She had much more important things to be doing!"

"I can't say I know…" Blue said.

Yellow took this as an opportunity to further attack the theory. "And what about a motive? Why in the seven galaxies would White even _think_ of doing something like this!? She loved Pink just as much as we do!"

"Again, I-I don't know," said Blue. "But considering she never leaves her ship anymore, and-"

"She's grieving, obviously!" yelled Yellow. "Just like you are, and just like I am! Honestly, Blue! We have the real culprit right in front of us, and yet you'd rather listen to this...this _fantasy nonsense_!"

"Er, My Diamonds, if I may…" Zircon's legs nearly gave out beneath her as both Diamonds focused their gazes upon her. "While it may be true that I can't offer what could be called 'concrete proof' on this matter, I would be more than willing to assist with further investigation. Should that be required, of course."

Yellow's eyes narrowed. "I see. Pearl? Bring up this Zircon's files, if you would."

"Right away, My Diamond," said Yellow Pearl. It only took a moment for her to acquire Zircon's entire history, which she then transferred to a screen in front of Her Diamond. Yellow read the files with great interest.

"Zircon Facet 7F Cut O9W2," she mused. "This one has quite the rap sheet. Multiple instances of questioning Homeworld doctrine. Several recorded cases of purposefully allowing her client to be found guilty. And according to this, her supervisor was set to have her retired should she have failed this case. Is this really the Gem you want to trust, Blue?"

In response to this, Blue was silent for a long time. Zircon was sure that Yellow had convinced her, until she spoke up again: "Yes, she is."

"What?" Yellow said. She sounded more disbelieving than angry, but that was still there. "And why, exactly?"

"Because she must be right," Blue said. "Only another Diamond could have shattered Pink. And White is the only logical conclusion."

"'Logical?' Nothing about any of this is logical!" exclaimed Yellow.

"Yellow, think about it!" said Blue. "Even Rose herself doesn't remember committing it! And that can only mean that either she wants us to believe she did it, or that she truly believes she did it. But she didn't do it, because White was the one pulling the strings."

Now it was Yellow's turn to be silent. "I can't believe this," she said after some time. "Fine. Be that way. Blame your own fellow Diamond for the crime that was clearly the work of Rose Quartz. Who, might I add, is still a war criminal, guilty or not." The Diamond walked over to the warp pad at the room's center, her Pearl joining her. "And Blue? I hope you have a plan for confronting White on this. I doubt she'll be very happy to be accused of murdering Pink."

And with that, Yellow vanished, leaving the three blue Gems alone in the room. The Zircon, Blue Diamond, and her Pearl, who had not spoken a word since the trial began.

"Zircon...you said you would be willing to help solve this mystery?" Blue asked.

"Yes, of course, My Diamond!" Zircon said, saluting. "The truth is my highest priority!"

"And it is mine as well," Blue said. "Unfortunately, Yellow was right about one thing. This is not something we can confront White over."

"I wholeheartedly agree, My Diamond," Zircon said, sweating at the very thought.

"So instead, I'm entrusting you to get as much information out of Rose Quartz as you can," Blue said. "Find everything. Gaps in her memory. Details that don't add up. Even encounters with White. We need to find out whether she truly has no memory of the event, or is deliberately misleading us."

"A conspiracy, My Diamond?"said Zircon. "Surely the leader of the Crystal Gems would never willingly work alongside White Diamond, or vice versa!"

"If White truly is guilty, then this already is a conspiracy," Blue said. "For now, go. I will decide where to proceed from here."

"Yes, My Diamond."

The two of them went their separate ways. Zircon went to go and further interrogate 'Rose Quartz,' while Blue left to ponder whether or not White truly was guilty. What could the possibilities be if she wasn't? Surely she herself wasn't responsible, and while Yellow hadn't been ruled out yet, Blue trusted her. Or…

No, of course not. Blue put the thought out of her mind. How would she even have managed something like that? A Diamond faking her own shattering, it was simply unthinkable!

...Wasn't it?


End file.
